USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

Ursuline Academy Dallas & St Ursula's College Toowoomba - Bears

Just like our girls on Tour, Ursie has been enjoying making new friends this week too!

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

Tuesday 29th November 2016

George W Bush Presidential Centre & The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

Maggie & Genevieve

Maggie

"We started the day with an inspirational meeting with Mrs. Melinda Smith about her personal memories about the assassination of President Kennedy.  This story was eye opening and showed us just how influential this incident was on the people of Dallas.  We then went on our way to the George W Bush Library and saw the timeline of Bush's Presidency.  The library not only showed us beautiful images from their 2004 Christmas in the Whitehouse, a copy of the Oval Room and his aspirations as President, but also the shocking images from 9/11.  We learnt so much about his time as President and just what an amazing President he was because of the hardship he faced in the Presidency. Following the Bush Library, we met Ms. Nipp at Snuffers (a well known Dallas burger restaurant). There we enjoyed cheesy fries, free drink refills and huge burgers!

Following our feast, we then attended the 6th Floor Museum.  At the Museum we gained a deeper understanding of the story of the assassination of President Kennedy and the respect Americans had for both him and his wife.  I know that this experience touched all our hearts and helped us to understand the tragedy Dallas and the USA faced.  We got to see at first had the exact spots on the road where Kennedy was shot, the scene where the assassin was firing from, and news articles, conspiracy theories and investigations revolving around the event.  The day was full of incredible and memorable experiences and we can't wait to see and enjoy more of Dallas in the days to come."

Genevieve

"What a day!  Our first excursion with the Ursuline Academy of Dallas consisted of the George W Bush library and the JFK Sixth Floor Museum, as well as lunch at a classic Texas restaurant, Snuffers.  As a political enthusiast, I personally found the experience fascinating.  Despite coming from very different contexts, both were revered for the way they maintained a nation in times of great political unrest.  In addition to this, it was enlightening to see the very different attitude that America holds towards Leaders, both past and present, in contrast to Australia.

Lunch was cheese fries, classic burgers and Dr Pepper - an American soda which I have appeared to have taken a great liking to!

My day was not over yet, however, as afterwards was my first trip to an American "mall", where I exercised my abilities to almost completely spend a two week budget in what seemed to be a matter of minutes, as well as discovering the joys of soft pretzels."

The Book Depository window and The Grassy Knoll at Dealey Plaza.

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

Tuesday 29th November 2016

Excursion Day to George W Bush Presidential Centre & The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

USA Tour with Ursie in the replica of the Oval Office of President George W Bush 

France Tour 2016

Tuesday 29th November 2016

Arriving in Vannes

Ursie couldn't wait to arrive in Vannes today.  It's cold outside but a warm welcome awaited the tour party.  The girls enjoyed their welcome lunch and the opportunity to finally meet their host sisters.  The Australian Flag flew above Lycée Notre Dame le Ménimur to greet the Aussies.

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

Monday 28th November 2016

The girls on the USA Tour will be contributing their experiences each day.

Amelia & Ella

"We all came to school with our host sisters today.  We were introduced to the Principal (Dr Shurley), the President (Ms Kane), and Directors including our enthusiastic travel coordinator Miss Nipp.  We then had a tour of the school.  The gym was pretty impressive, we felt like Troy Bolton in High School Musical!  Then we went to class with our host sisters.  That was really interesting because we got to see how American classes work.  There are no bells, so the students have to memorise their timetable. We were then able to experience eating lunch in the cafeteria which was very different to eating lunch on the front lawn at home and it made us miss our hedgehog slice from the tuckshop.  After school we all ventured to the "Bear Necessities Book Store" and stocked up on all things Ursuline Academy.  We then all watched the junior varsity football game, showing great Ursie spirit for our Dallas sisters!"

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

Monday 28th November 2016

Ursuline Academy - Dallas
First day at UA

On Monday morning the girls were given a very warm welcome to Ursuline Academy.  

The girls were inducted and presented with special gifts before joining their host for a tour of the campus.

The beautiful front entrance to Ursuline Academy decorated for Christmas.

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

For more photos go to the Ursuline Academy Dallas blog -  uaglobal.blogspot.com

France Tour 2016

Monday 28th November 2016

Paris - Day tour 2

Today the girls enjoyed the second day of their Paris bus tour visiting the Louvre, lunch at a nearby café, Notre Dame, and Panthéon.  

Notre Dame

With Dominique the Bus Driver

France Tour 2016 - Paris

Sunday 27th November 2016

Paris - Day tour 1

The girls enjoyed the first day of their bus tour of Paris.  They visited iconic sites at Sacre Coeur Basilica (pictures below), Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Champs Élysées.  Ursie joined in too!

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

Saturday 26th November 2016

Dallas Day 
Today the amazing hosts at Ursuline Academy shared some wonderful Dallas experiences with the staff on tour.  In true Texan style, we visited Cavenders Boot City - we were left speechless by the number of cowboy boots on display.  Mr Dwan also tried on a Texan hat.

We visited a small town called Grapevine pictured below, a quaint area with old buildings and full of Christmas holiday spirit.  In Carrollton, Dallas our hosts took us to lunch at a popular family restaurant - Babes Chicken Dinner House, before a tour of some of the impressive houses in the Dallas area and amazing Christmas lights.

Updates from the girls and their host families coming soon after the weekend!

France Tour 2016

Saturday 26th November 2016
Arrived in Paris

 After a long 20 hour journey the French group have arrived in Paris.  Tired but happy and excited to be there.

All students have been given the task of researching a particular aspect of one of the places we are visiting. Ruth began our walking tour today of Montparnasse Cemetery by telling the group about Serge Gainsbourg.  This cemetery is the resting place of some of Paris's famous personalities.

Laurel told us more about Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.

After the cemetery the group went to Marche Edgar Quinet joining the Paris residents who were shopping for their weekly vegetables, fruit, chicken, seafood, bread, cheeses and all kinds of pâtisseries.  Tara, Allanah, Rachel and Kate chose baguettes and raspberries.

Next stop was the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens. 

Views of the Eiffel Tower and Paris from Montparnasse Tower.

Tara shared some information about the Tower.

The end of the first day in Paris!

France Tour 2016 - Vannes

Friday 25th November 2016
College - Rome Street departure

On Friday morning the French tour group gathered at the College ready to depart on their inaugural France tour.  Mrs Pawsey, Mrs Brown and Ms Holden are accompanying the group.

Brisbane International Airport

The girls checked into their flight at Brisbane International Airport - ready for departure.

Singapore Changi Airport

The tour in transit at Singapore Changi Airport before boarding their flight to Paris.

USA Tour 2016 - Dallas

Friday 25th November 2016
Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport

The tour gathered at Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport on Friday morning for our departure to Sydney.  Check in was made very easy by the helpful staff at the airport.  Everyone was excited to start our journey!

 Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

The transfer to the International Terminal was seamless and we arrived with plenty of time for our 3:05pm flight.  Not everyone managed to sleep on the plane, but we arrived in Dallas in excitement in the air.  The girls were greeted like rockstars with balloons, cheers, smiles, many photographs and more excitement.  Everyone is now with their homestay family ready to begin the weekend.